Introduction:
The field of medical science is constantly evolving. With more than 60 specialties and 30 sub-specialties, the opportunities are endless. With the advancement of science and technology, the approach towards treating diseases is now very specific and comprehensive. Additionally, physicians across the globe are now concentrating on preventive medicine. Likewise, occupational diseases are very much preventable with proper intervention. It has been estimated that more than 160 million people are affected by non-fatal occupational conditions each year. The goal is to reduce the burden of preventable injuries and diseases through education, screening, and training.
What Is Aerospace Medicine?
An occupation in flying or aviation is hazardous. The pilots are put under immense physical pressure while training. Even if the crew members are healthy enough to fly aircraft and space jets, they must be prepared to combat the uncertainties at higher altitudes. They are prone to many occupational diseases as things can go wrong at every step.
The discipline of aviation medicine started after World War I when aircraft and jets had to fly at higher altitudes. Paul Bert, a French zoologist, is known to be the father of aviation medicine. Aerospace or aviation medicine is an interdisciplinary branch involving the study of the health and safety of aviation crew members. This specialty mainly focuses on clinical care, research, health, training, and protection of flight personnel.
How Is Fitness for Flight Assessed?
The pilots and other crew members must be physically and mentally fit. It is crucial because the body will be out of its comfort zone. For this, the members should undergo a medical assessment. Depending on the results, certification and licensing will be issued.
Some mandatory requirements include:
A. Eye - Normal vision, normal convergence, ability to perceive colors.
B. Ear, Nose, and Throat - Normal hearing, no disease of the ear (particularly vertigo), nose, and throat that would impair coordination.
C. Mental - No history of psychosis, hallucinations, or personality disorders should be present.
D. Neurologic - History of epilepsy, unconsciousness, or any other neurologic disturbance should be absent.
E. Cardiovascular - No diagnosis of angina, ischemic heart disease, valve replacements, pacemakers should be present.
What Are the Medications That Can Alter the Pilot’s Performance?
Several medications affect a pilot’s performance. Therefore, it might put the flight at risk. It is necessary to ensure that the flight personnels are not on medications that cause impairment in their judgment. The examples of the medications are:
A. Sedatives - Impairs coordination and judgment.
B. Antiemetics - Dry mouth, drowsiness, increases reaction time.
C. Alcohol - Increases reaction time, impairs judgment, vision problems, loss of coordination, hypoxia.
D. Hypoglycemics - Hypoglycemia, loss of consciousness, change in mental state.
E. Muscle Relaxants - Sedation and impaired coordination.
Why Is the Study of Aerospace Medicine Necessary?
The air or space crew members are constantly exposed to extreme conditions. They work in isolated conditions under physical and psychological stress. It becomes a challenge to work under conditions exposing them to hypoxia, radiation hazard, microgravity, etc. The body might be put in a position where it can no longer withstand the changes in the physical atmosphere.
The effects of high altitude space travel or air travel can be broadly classified into:
A. Physiological:
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Hypoxia - Humans are adapted to an oxygen-rich environment. At higher altitudes, the oxygen concentration decreases and leads to hypoxic changes in the body. Surviving in outer space with only a vacuum becomes even more challenging.
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Radiation - Exposure to unfiltered ultraviolet radiation from the sun is hazardous.
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Motion Sickness - At higher altitudes, the vestibular system has to adapt to physical changes like pressure. Due to these changes, people experience symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, etc.
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Bone and Muscle - Long-term space or air travel leads to a loss of bone and muscle mass. The changes happen due to a lack of gravity.
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Vision Changes - Changes such as blurring of vision and alteration in the eye movement are effects of long-term space travel.
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Increased Intracranial Pressure - Due to fluid redistribution in the upper part of the body, the pressure on the back of the eyeballs increases, compressing the optic nerve.
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Taste - The cause for taste changes is unknown. But aviation crew members complain of loss of taste during their expedition.
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Other Physiological Changes - Aviation personnel experience physical discomfort like abdominal pain, sensitive feet, back pain, etc.
B. Psychological:
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Stress and Anxiety - Due to the work pressure, lack of human contact, and environmental changes, crew members experience stress, depression, and anxiety.
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Insomnia - The quality and duration of sleep are poor due to illumination. The decks and windows are poorly illuminated, confusing the brain and resulting in altered sleep patterns.
What Is the Focus of Study in Aerospace Medicine?
The main focus of study in aerospace medicine includes the following:
A. Basic Sciences:
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Aeronautics and aerodynamics.
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Biomedical engineering.
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Medical anatomy and physiology.
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Neurophysics.
B. Aerospace Physiology:
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Aerospace physiology deals with high-altitude physiology.
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Space physiology.
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Environmental physiology.
C. Clinical Aerospace Medicine:
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Internal medicine.
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Aviation ophthalmology.
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Aviation otolaryngology.
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Aviation neuro-physiology.
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Aviation psychology.
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Aviation forensics and radiology.
D. Applied Aerospace Medicine:
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History of aerospace medicine.
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Spatial disorientation.
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Human engineering.
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Civil aviation medicine.
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Preventive and social medicine.
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Aero-medical problems.
What Are the Career Options in Aerospace Medicine?
The field of aerospace medicine presents an array of opportunities.
A. Commercial Airline Medical Consultant - Deals with the management of the health of pilots, flight attendants, and other crew members. Also ensures the medical clearance of flight passengers.
B. Flight Physician - Duty involves assessment of passenger’s medical condition, oxygen requirement, and equipping the flight with required medicines and emergency medical gadgets.
C. Military - In the military, aerospace medicine specialists deal with medical support to flight squads, treating casualties, assessing military medical conditions.
D. Space Agencies - Work here is mainly concerned with medical certification and review of crew members. Safety training, emergency training, ground support, space accident investigation, and related research.
Conclusion:
An interdisciplinary field like aerospace medicine is best suited for medical professionals interested in aviation. It deals with the physiologic response of the body at higher altitudes. Physicians in this specialty ensure that pilots and other crew members are fit to fly. It also involves a thorough medical assessment of the flight personnel. The body faces many uncertainties at higher altitudes, and the aviation members must be physically and mentally prepared for this challenge. Overall, this discipline is captivating for those individuals who prefer interdisciplinary careers.
